miR-1249-3p accelerates the malignancy phenotype of hepatocellular carcinoma by directly targeting HNRNPK

microRNAs (miRNAs) have been implicated to play crucial roles in carcinogenesis. miR-1249-3p was reported to be abnormally expressed in multiple human cancers. However, its biological role and the associated underlying mechanisms in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remain largely unknown.

miR-1249-3p expression level in HCC cell lines and normal cell line was measured by quantitative real-time PCR. Role of miR-1249-3p on HCC cell proliferation, colony formation, and invasion was examined by cell counting kit-8 assay, colony formation assay, and transwell invasion assay, respectively. Luciferase activity reporter assay and western blot were performed to validate whether heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein K (HNRNPK) was a direct target of miR-1249-3p. Effect of miR-1249-3p on overall survival of HCC patients was analyzed at KM Plotter website.

We found miR-1249-3p expression level was increased, while HNRNPK expression level was decreased in HCC cell lines compared with normal cell line. Knockdown miR-1249-3p expression inhibits HCC cell proliferation, colony formation, and cell invasion through regulating HNRNPK in vitro. We also showed high miR-1249-3p expression was a predictor for poor overall survival of HCC patients.

These findings about miR-1249-3p/HNRNPK pair provide a novel therapeutic method for HCC patients.